Volkswagen Amarok vs Nissan Navara

A proper head-to-head in South Africa — we cover price, performance, petrol economy, safety and what it'll actually cost you to own each one long term.

Volkswagen Amarok in South Africa

Volkswagen Amarok

3.0 V6 TDI Double Cab Aventura 4Motion AT Diesel Automatic
ZAR 1,252,200 ex-showroom
⚡ 125 kW 🔧 400 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
VS
Nissan Navara in South Africa

Nissan Navara

2.5 Pro-4X Automatic Diesel Automatic
ZAR 690,000 ex-showroom
⚡ 140 kW 🔧 450 Nm ⛽ 12.8 km/l
Add a 3rd car

At a Glance — Who Wins What

Performance Navara
Fuel Economy Tie
🛡 Safety Navara
📦 Practicality Navara
🔑 Ownership Navara
Navara starts ZAR 593200 cheaper Amarok from ZAR 593,200 · Navara from ZAR 433,500

Key Specs Side by Side

The specs that matter most — highlighted where one car leads.

Spec Amarok Navara
Engine Power 125 140
Torque 400 450
Engine Size 1968 2488
Claimed Mileage 12.8 12.8
Ground Clearance 192 228
Boot Space 0 0
Airbags 6 7
Kerb Weight 2095 2050
Seating Capacity Available Available
Warranty 3 6

= leads in this spec

The Overall Score — Here's How They Stack Up

🏆 Winner
#1

Navara

71
/ 100
+14
pts
#2

Amarok

57
/ 100

Moderate difference between the models.

The Bottom Line

Navara has a slight advantage, but Amarok remains highly competitive.

Where They Actually Differ

Performance Navara +2 pts
Efficiency Equal
Safety Navara +2 pts
Practicality Navara +2 pts
Ownership Navara +8 pts

Score Breakdown by Category

🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

Performance 15/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 20/20
Practicality 9/20
Ownership 20/20

Amarok

Performance 13/20
Efficiency 7/20
Safety 18/20
Practicality 7/20
Ownership 12/20

What Each Car Gets Right (and Wrong)

Amarok

Strengths
  • Nothing stands out clearly here.
Weak Spots
  • Less powerful engine setup
  • Less comprehensive safety features
  • Less practical in daily usage
  • Shorter warranty coverage
Best suited to: General Use
🏆 Overall Winner

Navara

Strengths
  • More powerful engine output
  • Stronger safety package
  • More practical for daily use
  • Better long-term ownership value
Weak Spots
  • No obvious weak spots to flag.
Best suited to: Highway Driving Family Usage

Which One's Right for You?

Amarok

  • Buyers looking for a balanced all-round vehicle

Navara

  • Drivers who prioritise strong highway performance and overtaking power
  • Families prioritising stronger safety equipment
  • Large families needing more practicality and usability
  • Long-term owners valuing warranty and ownership peace of mind

Full Specs, Side by Side

Spec Amarok Navara
Ground Clearance 192 228
Wheelbase 3097 3150
Length 5254 5260
Width 1944 1850
Height 1834 1855
Kerb Weight 2095 2050
Gross Vehicle Weight 3150 3150
Seating Capacity 5 5
Boot Space 0 0
Towing Capacity 3500 3500
Number of Doors 5 5
Boot Space Seats Folded 1500 1500
Front Track Width 1550 1550
Rear Track Width 1540 1540
Turning Radius Available Available
Load Bed Length Available Available
Load Bed Width Available Available
Front Legroom Available Available
Rear Legroom Available Available
Front Headroom Available Available
Rear Headroom Available Available
Front Shoulder Room Available Available
Rear Shoulder Room Available Available
Max Payload Available Available
Boot Volume Available Available
Doors Available Available
Seats Available Available
Front Overhang Available Available
Fuel Tank Capacity Available Available
Rear Overhang Available Available
Spec Amarok Navara
Engine 2.0L TDI Turbo Diesel 2.5L Turbo Diesel
Engine Type Inline 4 Turbocharged Intercooled Inline 4 Turbocharged
Displacement 1968 2488
Cylinders 4 4
Valves per Cylinder 4 4
Power 125 140
Torque 400 450
Fuel System Common Rail Direct Injection Common Rail Direct Injection
Turbocharger Twin Turbo Available
Top Speed 180 180
0-100 km/h 10.5 10.5
Cylinder Layout Inline 4 (I4) Inline 4 (I4)
Engine Aspiration Turbocharged Turbocharged
Engine Code Standard Standard
Compression Ratio 10.5:1 10.5:1
Cylinder Bore 82.0 82.0
Piston Stroke 92.0 92.0
Fuel Grade Required Petrol Petrol
Power @ RPM 150 150
Torque @ RPM 400 400
Engine Position Available Available
Engine Oil Capacity Available Available
Power 150 150
Variable Valve Timing Available Available
Maximum Engine RPM Available Available
Engine Type Config Available Available
0–100 km/h Available Available
Battery Capacity Available Available
Charging Port Available Available
AC Charging Time Available Available
Engine Displacement Available Available
EV Range Available Available

So, Which One Should You Buy?

🏆 Nissan Navara wins with 71 pts vs 57 pts for Amarok

In structured scoring, Navara emerges as the stronger overall package. However, Amarok may appeal to buyers prioritising different factors. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your driving priorities in South Africa.

Buyers Also Looked At These

Other comparisons that people in the same boat tend to check out.

Questions Buyers Usually Ask

On our scoring the Navara edges ahead overall. That said, the right choice depends on what you actually use the car for — the breakdown above shows exactly where each one wins and loses.

Efficiency scores: Amarok 7 vs Navara 7. In the real world, diesel variants of either car will beat the claimed figure on long highways and fall short in Joburg traffic.

Safety scores: Amarok 18, Navara 20. Check each model page for NCAP ratings and which trim levels include AEB and blind-spot monitoring — those features aren't always standard.

Long-term ownership scores: Amarok 12, Navara 20. Service intervals, parts availability in SA, and whether a service plan is bundled all factor in — check the individual variant specs for that detail.

Practicality scores: Amarok 7, Navara 9. This covers boot space, seat flexibility, and day-to-day usability — not just interior dimensions on paper.

Performance scores: Amarok 13, Navara 15. This looks at real-world pace — 0–100 kph, highway flexibility, and how either car feels when you actually need to overtake on an N-road.

Resale varies with colour, spec, and market timing, but Japanese brands — and Toyota specifically — have a strong track record in SA. Check current used prices for both on AutoTrader to see the real gap right now.

Ground clearance and 4WD availability are what matter most here. Scroll to the spec table above to compare both side by side — if either model offers a 4WD variant, that's the version worth comparing.

Fuel, insurance, and service costs are the big three. Diesel variants of both models typically save R800–R1,500/month in fuel at current SA pump prices. The Navara edges the overall ownership score, but check whether either variant includes a service plan — that changes the monthly maths significantly.

The Navara scores better overall, but neither car is a bad buy here. It comes down to what features matter to you — check the full spec table above to see exactly what you gain and lose at each price point.

In Depth — Breaking It All Down

The comparison between Amarok and Navara in South Africa evaluates performance, efficiency, safety, practicality and long-term ownership value.

Performance: Amarok scores 13 vs 15.

Efficiency: Amarok scores 7 vs 7.

Safety: Amarok scores 18 vs 20.

Practicality: Amarok scores 7 vs 9.

Ownership: Amarok scores 12 vs 20.

Final structured scoring gives Navara the advantage in this comparison.